January 22, 1915: The Guadalajara Train Disaster

January 22, 1915: The Guadalajara Train Disaster occurs, and kills over 600 people. It remains the deadliest rail disaster in North American history.

The Mexican Revolution was in full swing by 1915. After the assassination of President Francisco Madero, 2 years earlier, the presidency of the country was assumed by Victoriano Huerta. But revolutionary forces led by Venustiano Carranza and Pancho Villa overthrew him, and Carranza became President in 1914.

Villa, however, wanted to continue the revolution, and an armed struggle ensued. On January 18, 1915, Carranza's troops captured Guadalajara, in western Mexico. He immediately ordered that the families of his troops be transported by train from Colima n the Pacific coast to his newly captured stronghold.

On January 22, a special train of 20 cars left Colima. It was packed, with people even clinging to the roofs and undercarriages. After entering the state of Jalisco, between Ciudad Guzmán and Sayula, the engineer lost control on a long steep descent. As the train gathered speed, many people were thrown off as the train negotiated curves. Eventually, the entire train derailed into a deep canyon, with fewer than 300 of the 900 on board surviving.

Some of Carranza's troops, Yaqui Indians, committed suicide when hearing of the death of their families. Others swore vengeance on the train crew, but they had also been killed in the disaster.

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January 22, 1915 was a Friday. Baseball and football were out of season. Professional basketball barley existed. The National Hockey Association season was in progress, but no games were scheduled. There was 1 game played in the Pacific Coast Hockey Association: The Victoria Aristocrats beat the Vancouver Millionaires, 4-1 at the Patrick Arena in Victoria, British Columbia. However, the Millionaires went on to win the PCHA title and the Stanley Cup.